The tip of my middle finger on my right hand feels like it is asleep. Its felt like this since last night. What caused it? I’ll tell you.
Edited on June 27th 2007: So if you are reading this it’s probably because the tip of your finger has been numb for a long period of time. Quite possibly caused by carrying numerous bags of groceries. So, let me cut to the chase…you’ll be fine. My finger got better after a couple of weeks and most people recover even faster.
Now you can read the rest of my story or read the comments for other people who have had similar problems.
I was in my nearby grocery store around 10pm last night when the lady in front of me was begging the cashier to find someone to deliver her 4 bags of groceries to her door. They explained that their delivery service is only until 9, and they couldn’t find anyone to send. I stood there listening and thought about helping her. Then I thought about how I failed to get a pretty good job today and that I could use the karma.
I wish I had just wanted to do it right off the bat, and didn’t need to bribe myself into doing it, but I’ve been told that it doesn’t matter as long as I am doing the right thing. So let’s hope that is right.
So I offer to help her carry her groceries. She says they are really heavy. I tell her I can handle them. (It doesn’t look like much). The she glances at my groceries and says I already have such heavy stuff to carry. My groceries are very light. Bread. Cheese. Meat. And one bottle of soda. That is it. Oh, and some Ritz crackers. I tell her its less then I usually carry. So she agrees to let me help. And then she immediately realizes that she can’t find her child and goes to look for him. I grab her bags and follow.
The kid has gone outside and is a block away as she calls him to come back. He finally does and runs right past us in the other direction. This is the direction of her place so she doesn’t seem as concerned. So we start walking. Its only a 4-5 block walk, but she walks so slow it took us over 15 minutes. Plus she had to keep stopping to call her child back with exclamations like “Stay near me or you are going to get grabbed!”
As we neared her place she got a phone call from her husband. I couldn’t understand what she said to him, but it was brief and the phrase “American” was uttered. Then she hung up and said to me that she has seen me before – doing laundry. And she pointed at the laundromat we were passing. This was not my laundromat and I never do laundry (I use the drop off service). So I told her that it wasn’t me. We then talked about living in Astoria until her husband called a second time.
Anyway, we finally reach her place…she has me set the groceries on the stoop. And I head home. This is when I notice my finger is numb. I expected it to go away (assuming some circulation got cut from holding numerous bags of groceries. But here I am 16 hours later and it is still bothering me.
Stupid Karma.
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171 Comments
It’s great that such an old blog post can quell my worries, but thanks to all the commenters for sharing their stories! All I did was carry several plastic bags across the street and up my apartment building. I lost feeling in my middle finger from the middle knuckle up. After a half hour the numbness had receded only to the tip, where I guess it will stay until my nerve regenerates? Either way, I’m a 19yo college student and I’m just happy this won’t stay with me for life! This is my macbook trackpad finger we’re talking about here!
Thanks for this post Kevin. I was really freaking out until I googled your blog. My middle finger is still numb at the tip since yesterday, after I carried a lofty amount of plastic shopping bags on that hand. Let’s hope it heals quickly. We should make a petition to try and get “Shopping Bag Syndrome” medically recognized!
Cheers mate.
Thanks for this story, ive got a numb middle finget tip too from carrying those damn plastic bags! Hopefuly it will go away soon too though, this has stopped me worrying quite so much
good blog. i carried groceries several hours ago and was thinking that my finger would have to get amputated. hope these nerves repair themselves soon. i don’t like this feeling. i’ll be careful next time i carry groceries.
I had this happen a while ago, and it was rather annoying. Turns out that a nerve pinches in your shoulder, and makes your finger go numb.
Just pop your shoulder, and instead of weeks, it’ll be days.
Thanks to everyone who shared their numb finger stories. Mine happened a week ago today. The only thing I didn’t think of was the fact that I too, carried heavy bags the night I noticed it. Paper or plastic? Paper, please.
And mine happened just today! I’ve been freaking out thinking that I should go to urgent care. Hahaha. Now I know that I can relax.
The culprit of the tip of my numb middle finger was a pair of crafting scissors. I had been cutting on some intense stuff for a long period of time and when I stopped, I realized that the tip of my middle finger had gone numb.
Sure does feel weird though, I hope it goes away sooner than later.
Thanks for all of the reassurance guys & gals!
Jamie
oh hmm, yea i just did the same although was with a gallon of paint of was holding for about idk 30 minutes to an hour while painting my parents house. i felt the numbness immediately afterwards and now this morning its still exactly the same basically. sure is making it a little strange and minutely difficult to type with this finger, lol. well thanks for the site did answer some questions for me. good thing i didn’t get too anxious over it and cut my finger off, lol, getting on my nerves, haha hope it goes away for everyone including me, God Bless
I had this happen to me when I grabbed a railing and it has been numb for to days now but only on my middle finger on the left side. It tightens up every time a grab some thing and I feel like I’m just making to worse. It doesn’t hurt has much has it is feels weird. I’m so happy I found this blog because I know this happens a lot and it gets better.
OMG! I hope I recover soon. I almost went to Urgent Care today but my husband stopped me. He said it would return to normal soon. I am so glad this blog was posted. Here is my story….
My middle finger was also pinched with a grocery bag two days ago. The sad part is I wasn’t even walking home. I brought all of my groceries into the house from my car. Then, I went back to the car to get the last two bags. One of the bags contained 2 bottles of Perrier and a half gallon of grapefruit juice. The other bag was a bit lighter. As I was walking back in, my neighbor starts to talk with me. We spoke for about ten minutes and I didn’t even notice the bag was pinching me.
Well, two days later, my finger is numb and tingles when pressed. The tip itself looks the same but the vein on the finger is a lot darker.
I guess my husband wasn’t too concerned…his mother is a neurologist.
Everyone…thanks for sharing!
I got a numb tip of middle finger today for the first time in life. I was ignoring it for some time but then realized that the numbness is not going away.
I also carried shopping bags for half a day while shopping in Thailand. It was hot and humid there and I was carrying shopping bags.
Can any doctor post a comment on this site and explain the phenomena.
Thanks to all commentors for sharing their experience. It helped me to feel a part of human race.
This happened to me earlier today while carrying about 10 pounds of groceries. My right middle finger has been numb for about 3 hours. It has regained feeling somewhat but still doesn’t feel completely normal. The same finger went numb a few months ago when I cut off the circulation while flossing. It took 3 weeks for the numbness to go away completely then.
Thank god I found this page, which is reassuring. Yesterday I carried a 18lb plastic rice bag (plus a few lighter grocery bags) in my left hand for 5-10 minutes, with the plastic “handle” (just a whole in the plastic) “cutting” into my little finger (the outside of the first joint above the knuckle). As a result, the outside half of the upper two thirds of the finger are numb (no tingling – think: partially subsided skin anesthesia).
Maybe I’m just imagining this but there seems to be a hint of improvement just above that first joint. This is about 12 hours after the accident.
I hope to report back soon that the situation is improving.
P.S. it’s just sensory numbness. Movement is intact.
Not 100% healed yet but it’s gotten better…
My ailment is my pinky fingers…..both are numb from the top knuckle up gravitating to the outside portion of the fingers. This resulting from Apple Picking and carrying 20 pounds of apples in a plastic bag with a string at the top…the string was looped around my hands…..and it numbed my pinky fingers….it has been near a month now…and they are still numb…..i think getting a little better…..but…maybe not. My Doc said this was normal and that I should get feeling back within weeks….or he said possible a few months……Any Thoughts ?
First of all thank you that this post existed. I thought something really bad happened to my finger but my diagnosis was correct and this confirms it.
I didn’t carry any groceries bag but I was at a awesome concert with a huge mosh pit behind me. And I was covering a girl in front of me so I grab hold of a bar on the side of a speaker. Thing is I held it too hard and wayyy too long. I guess you can say I had a strong grip? The pitt’s force was so strong some times I find myself basically floating. Anyways. The band finally stops playing and another came up to take it’s place and I released my grip. First it was my entire index finger. So I shrugged it off and flicked my hand so it would have circulation. Unfortunately, it came very very slow. An hour later I gained half of my finger back and 2 hours late down to the tip of my finger. But from start to finish it has been over 7 hours. About half an hour after it happened I had a great idea of smacking my sleepy finger on the stage. But it didn’t even give a single pain reaction. So I went again. And so here I am 7 hours later. The tip of my finger numb and my entire finger swollen. Which is kind of weird cause if I touch the middle of my finger it hurts. But not the tip, just feels tingly.
By the way best concert yet. I got a 200 pounds whale that tried to jump and fail miserably and ended up on my face. But that’s another story.
Thought I’d drop in again to report my pink is almost back to normal.
Haha this is really funny! So my fingers not going to fall off?? That’s good. It’s funny everyones thoughts are so similar, so many ppl made comments exactly like what I was thinking. My numb finger is index left hand. Did it at work today trying too hard to twist something with little ports sticking off the side. One jammed in between my index and middle finger and yup sure enough fingers been numb since. Going on 7 hrs now and getting to the point where I was wondering if I should really worry. Before rushing to the emergency department to have my whole arm amputated at the sholder (just to be sure
) thought I would google it and am now amused at how many of us get numb fingers lol. Nice to know it’s ok though.
So my fingertip also went numb from carrying groceries and I didn’t know what to do about it. Someone told me to put “cut off circulation carrying groceries” into Google. I said that would never work…
Awesome.
Also glad to have found this blog! For the past several weeks, my middle finger on the right hand gets cold and turns white. Others who have this happen might want to try what I did — I wave my arm fast, windmill fashion. I perceived that the g-forces would help get blood back to my finger, and it worked. The color and feeling came back. My finger is still often colder than the rest, but when I know it is happening, I warm my hand and do the windmill thing.
I’m sure I have GBS – Grocery Bag Syndrome.
Wow. I carried alot of groceries from my garage to my back door last night (6pm). It is now the following day (1030am) and my left fingertip is still numb. I literally was carrying 4 gallons of juice, applesauce, eggs, bread, all on one finger so i wouldnt have to make twon trips. Stupid, stupid, stupid. This is really annoying
I am so happy that I found this blog! I have recently moved to UK with my partner and we had to move all of our stuff which is overflowing out of our suitcases into plastic shopping bags. One weighed about 10kg and had 20 paperback books in it and there were also two other bags filled with food. It was about a 20 minute walk from the tube station and I noticed after I put the bags down that I could not feel the tip of my pinky finger. The book shopping bag had cut off the circulation and I panicked when a few days later the feeling still had not returned, but being in a foreign country I was too apprehensive to go to the doctor so I thought I would google it first before incurring costly medical fees that may or may not be covered by travel insurance. I am so happy that I found this blog as otherwise I may have paid a lot of money just to find out that my finger will be fine in a few weeks or so. I will report back to let you know how my pinky finger is feeling in a few weeks.
Haha…so glad I found this…didn’t think I would find any info online about this, but I just carried way too many plastic grocery bags in the house and my left middle finger is numb! I was worried it won’t ever come back! I guess I’ll just give it time! This needs to be named some sort of syndrome! lol
Add me to the list of men with grocery bag injuries. I was carrying grocery bags for roughly 20 minutes (my street was being repaved). When I set the bags down I couldn’t feel the upper half of my index finger. My index finger has been numb for 12 hours now. I saw a doctor this morning who said it was called a digital nerve injury. Essentially I compressed a nerve in my finger. The doctor expects it to get better soon. If it doesn’t that means I might have severed the nerve. If so, it could require surgery to clean it up.
Thank you for this! I don’t know if you even check it anymore since the original post is about 6 years old, but I’m so relieved! I asked my husband to come with me to get groceries, he didn’t want to, and when I called him to come down to the parking lot to help carry all the groceries up the apartment he didn’t answer the phone (because he was napping ) , so rather than taking too trips, or leaving the groceries in the 104 degree heat for 15 minutes I tried to carry it all myself. It feels so weird. Next time he can do the grocery shopping while I take a nap.
I do still read these. I don’t respond to every comment. Mostly letting them stand on their own. I find this phenomenon fascinating!
For some folks it takes weeks before the finger feels completely normal. Others feel better in days. So be patient Rosalie!
I got the same. Have had a numb middle finger tip for 3 days since i carried heavy shopping in plastic bags digging into my finger for 20 minutes walk home.
Question is – is it a shoulder strain (am aware the nerve runs from the shoulder to the finger) or is it a case of choked blood circulation in the finger? Answer to that would point to exercises that solve the problem.
Someone above said *pop* your shoulder to solve it. Not sure what that means.
Would be great for a physical therapist or doctor to chime in here.
Just did some massage and backstroke / windmill action on my shoulder and it seems to reduce numbness in the finger…
mine happened this past friday when i was carrying groceries in, and it is my left ring finger. i have been downright terrified i was going to wake up and my finger was going to be gangrene and fall off, and no man would EVER marry me because he would have no where to put my ring. i have been sort of bummed for the past 3 days, but i am feeling better now. actually, i feel quite silly. i wish i would have googled it and found this sooner!
Just happened to me about 20 minutes ago. I was carrying several plastic bags of heavy groceries when my finger starting really hurting. It was raining, so I didn’t set the bags down right away, and tried to run into the building first. When I had set the bags down, my entire middle and index finger were completely numb. Gradually feeling came back, but the outside half of my middle finger from the second knuckle up is still numb, which is where the bags’ loops were. I really hope it doesn’t take days/weeks to get better, especially since I type for a living, but it’s better than needing surgery or something. A couple other sites said to seek emergency care if you experience numbness of the fingers, but I suspect that’s more if your fingers go numb for no apparent reason.
Happened to me about 2 hrs ago, was helping my aunt with some shopping, carrying a heavy plastic bag for about 20minutes.
Was a bit worried till i found this site, now im relieved, but also annoyed that im gonna have a weird finger feeling while i type for the next few days/weeks
I knew i hated shopping.
Whew…yes I did the same thing. Being lazy I didn’t want to make multiple trips from my car to apartment and carried around 3-4 bags per hand. I have the same numb/tingling feeling in my fingertips. It is reassuring to know that many others have had the same sensation. Thanks for your posts.
I am amazed at this grocery bag finger injury phenomenon! I was googling whether I should go get my middle finger checked out at the urgent care and came across this blog. I was just carrying the plastic bags into my house from the car. But the one with the gallon of milk in it (why do they bag those anyway?) cut off the circulation in my right middle finger. I was rushing to set the bag down when I felt a sharp pain in the finger. Then numbness in the tip. I will wait and hope it gets better on its own. Unless it starts turning blue or something!
ugh hey guys well I have the numb feeling on the up part of my right middle finger and it is just a little annoying when typing heh…. I’m not exactly sure how I got it but I did carry some grocery bags up to my condo last night from walmart, sigh so maybe they are to blame for crappy grocery bags.
As like most people I was thinking of going to the doctor because I thought oh crap do I have hand cancer or something was really scaring me until I found this blog. Well i’ll bookmark this page and keep you guys posted in a few days on how it feels I really hope this goes away soon just a nagging feeling heh.
haha i goggled ” carried to many grocries now finger feels numb”
and this blog came up . i brought home in 2 jugs of milk and a 2L of pop lastnight. and my left hand middle finger is still kinda numb feeling just like the pad of it. glad im not the only one. kinda weird feeling wish it would go away soon i hope
I googled “what should you do when finger is feeling numb after carrying heavy stuff” and this turned up! I carried some heavy stuff in plastic bag for around 10-20 min last night, and my fourth finger on my left hand felt numb. It still is feeling numb today, but glad that it’s not an urgent medical thing. Thanks for sharing guys!
Black Friday Midnight Madness Shopping + two really heavy shopping bags full of stuff for myself= one extremely numb (and strangely cold) ring finger. I went to bed hoping that it would return to normal, but alas, I still can’t feel my fingertip. My post shopping euphoria and deal scavenging was utterly ruined by visions of the emergency room, mid-finger amputations, and a future filled with hunt and peck typing…until I Googled it. Thank you for taking the time to share your stories. I feel much better now that I have read this. So good that I may even go shopping. Again. After I try the windmill air guitar strategy.
The best doorbuster of all is knowing your finger will be ok.
Yes!!! I couldn’t agree more!
Lisa
Omg..so glad I found this site. I’ve been worried scared about what is causing this. I knew I carried heavy groceries in Vegas while walking for an eternity to get back to hotel from ABC store. Now left top of middle finger is numb and tingly for 2 days. Whew..i’ll sleep better tonight!
I am so glad to find this, lol. I have no idea when I carried the groceries since I avoid it like the plague and make my older teenagers do it. But I know that I got stuck a few weeks ago with a boat load of stuff that I had to carry in. The thing is, I noticed the finger so much later that I can’t be sure when it started. The numbness is on the top of the middle finger from the middle joint to the nail, just like you all describe. Thank goodness that the underside is fine. It is pretty painful though if I dry my hands wrong on the towel. The joint is fine, so I couldn’t figure it out. I didn’t want to go to the doctor because I have had my share of problems this last year and I am tired of going. It is always bad news. I am so glad to know that everyone else has this. I think I will windmill my arms too, because that shoulder has been uncomfortable for a while, too. I think I will switch to paper backs or those cloth ones.
Nice to read this! My pointing finger on my right hand went numb a few days ago. Reading through your comments someone said something about his shoulder so i asked my wife to massage me on my shoulder. Guess what! It worked!
Now after 5 minutes of massaging on my should i can feel my finger a hell lot better!
Thank you all!!!
I AM SO GLAD TO HAVE FOUND THIS! GOOGLE is a wonderful thing. It is so hard to type with my fingertip so numb but, I just really wanted to thank you for this post. I was considering going to the Dr. about this! Last night I carried in a lot of plastic grocery bags filled with laundry detergent and 2 liter soda bottles. I wanted to make it in the house before putting them down. Then, I felt a horrible pain in my finger and it’s been numb from the middle of my middle finger to the tip ever since.
Grocery Bag Syndrome is better than the hand cancer or some other craziness I was concocting in my mind!
brilliant post stopped me worrying as i thought there was something seriously wrong, but now i know i have over carried the old bags lol thanks again xxx
I get a numb tip of my middle finger n my right hand when I’m using scissors a lot. Happened again recently and it seems to be staying numb longer this time, so I thought I’d look it up. It’s been a week now but it might be a while longer.
so glad I found this post. Saved me a doctor’s visit!
my finnger has been numb from the first knuckle to the tip it looks normal in colour but it is numb and sore when i hit it it has been like this for a week . hopefully it will go away it came about after i did some serious scissor cutting perhaps for an hour or more ….never again its soooooo annoying
Yep, same as everyone else…
heavy shopping bags
+
really skinny plastic handles = numb tip of index finger.
Been like it for just over 24 hours – not really changed much – hoping it will get better in time, and that I haven’t ‘severed the nerve’ as someone put on here! (anyone actually had that outcome?!) I’m not a hypochondriac – honest ;0)
neillyd – so far no one has posted with a serious injury. A lot of people say they are going to wait and hope it goes away. Not sure how it worked for them, but no one is coming back and calling me a liar or a mis-informer, so I think you will be fine.